Histochemical evaluation of lysosomes in lymphocytes of workers having contact with organic solvents containing benzene and its homologues.

The count of lymphocytes having lysosomes containing acid phosphatase (AP), beta-glucuronidase (GR) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) has been estimated in the peripheral blood of 108 workers occupationally exposed to organic solvents containing benzene and its homologues. It has been stated that the prolonged exposure is associated with a reduction in the number of cells having intact acid phosphatase-positive lysosomes. The negative correlation occurring in this connection indicates the practical value of histochemical evaluation of numbers of the above cells for screening the biological effect of occupational exposure to solvents studied.